How to Get Involved in Research Projects as an Undergraduate

By David Targan, Associate Dean for Science Programs in the College

Biology Undergraduate Education at Brown University: A new site for students interested in doing Biology research.

<< Back

Welcome to the world of research at Brown! Some of the recommendations below reflect my experience in the sciences, but many if not most of these ideas also apply to the humanities, arts, and social sciences. Here are some general principles to keep in mind:

1. Persistence pays! If you persist, you will get that research job. The strategies I describe below are steps that persistent students have taken. No single strategy always works – expect some rejections, but take them in stride. Realize that some researchers have already made commitments to other undergraduates, some are planning to be on sabbatical or be away for the summer, and others are not yet sure what their summer research plans will call for. Don’t take any negative response as a rejection. Just keep on using the strategies described here, or create new ones for yourself.

2. Be creative and proactive. The advice given here is far from comprehensive, so use your ingenuity to generate your own ideas. Don’t assume that a professor will come to you (although for the lucky few, this does happen!) You must go to them. The more proactive and creative you are, the easier it is to convince professors that you will also be an enthusiastic participant in their research projects. Research is often an open-ended questioning and problem-solving process, not unlike finding a research project in the first place. You don’t have to know everything about a subject when you make contact with a professor – that’s why you’re a student. Show that you are trying, that you have gone “beyond the call” to find out about the research of a professor.

3. Start early. Why not start your quest during the first or second week of school? While everyone else is trying to figure out the best eating spots, you’ll be the only first-year year student in your unit wandering into the offices of prospective mentors. Even if it’s too late for you to take that approach, starting early is still important. For some research opportunities, such as Undergraduate Teaching & Research Assistantships (UTRA) and some federally funded opportunities, the deadlines give you precious little time to learn about a subject, so the sooner you embark on your search for research, the better. In many disciplines, there is no reason why you can’t start research, even if it is not fully collaborative, before you have taken advanced coursework in that area. In fact, younger students offer faculty researchers the potential advantage of working with them several years in a row, which to them is a savings in training time.

4. YOU can do research. Many students don’t believe enough in themselves to think they would be capable researchers in a lab. You could be one of those students. The fact is, research is a great equalizer. We’ve seen students with transcripts that were far from stellar succeed famously at research, perhaps because the lab environment is totally different from that of the classroom. The result is an improved self-esteem, which is then frequently followed by improved academic success. Whether you are doing “not so well” or extremely well academically (according to your definition), if you have doubts about your own research abilities, a trip to the Dean’s Office can help you to gain some perspective.

5. “Just Do It.” While doubts and reservations are understandable, it’s best to either work to eliminate those doubts, or “act as if” you have the potential that we know you have, and “just do it.” Just ask your professor about research opportunities in his or her area of research. Just make that phone call or send that email to start your search. Take some of the steps described above. Just Do It!So, equipped with the advice of being persistent, creative, proactive, being the early bird, putting aside doubts you may have, and to “just do it”, let’s look at specific ways to learn about research opportunities.